This invention concerns stowage receptacles for the bed of a pick-up truck.
The increased use of light trucks as general purpose vehicles has increased the need for conveniently accessible and secure storage space in the normally open bed of pick ups.
The large unconfined space within the bed is not conveniently usable for such cargo as groceries or shopping packages, particularly when a cap is installed over the bed.
Much of the effort at providing conveniently accessible storage space has been for tools and other trade equipment. See for example, U.S. Pat. No. 4,966,401, issued on Oct. 30, 1990, for an "Extension Glide System for Mounting Truck Storage Box"; U.S. Pat. No. 5,121,959, issued on Jun. 16, 1992, for a "Slide Mount for Pick-up Truck Tool boxes"; U.S. Pat. No. 5,037,153 issued on Aug. 6, 1991, for a "Movable Load Support Assembly"; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,088,636 issued on Feb. 18, 1992, for a "Rolling Tool Box".
These patents show a tool box mounted in truck bed to be able to be rolled to the rear of the bed. These arrangements are not conveniently usable for stowing groceries or similar miscellaneous cargo as the box is normally at the forward end of the bed and must be released and rolled to the rear. If the tailgate is lowered, the box is still not easily reachable even when at the rear of the bed.
A cap is not usable with boxes rolled along rails mounted atop the sides of the bed. Also, tonneau covers held with snaps cannot be used with such receptacles.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,824,158 issued on Apr. 25, 1989, for a "Combination Access Box and Bed Liner for Vehicles", shows a bed liner which may be rolled out past the lowered tailgate. This does not provide an enclosed receptacle which can confine grocery bags and the like.
U.S. Pat. 4,946,215 issued on Aug. 7, 1990, for a "Storage Device for a Pick-up Truck Bed" shows a covered receptacle with a cover which can be locked, the receptacle fixed at the rear of the bed. See also U.S. Pat. No. 5,083,829 issued on Jan. 28, 1992, for a "Pick-up Truck Storage Truck and Air Foil" and U.S. Pat. No. 4,828,312 issued on May 9, 1989 for a "Collapsible Security Storage Apparatus for Truck Beds".
These receptacles are inconvenient in that one must reach over the opened tailgate to gain access to the interior of the receptacle.
Where a cap or tonneau cover is installed, there is a lack of overhead clearance for opening lids and for obtaining easy access to the interior of the receptacle.
Security of such a storage receptacle is an important concern, to prevent unauthorized opening or removal of the receptacle. It is also desirable to allow convenient complete removal of the receptacle and any supporting structure so that the pick-up bed can be restored to its completely unobstructed state for normal truck use.
It is an object of the invention to provide a covered storage receptacle for pick-up truck beds which is easily accessible with a cap or tonneau cover installed, and which allows easy removal to restore the bed to an unobstructed state.